


We Need To Let It Breathe

by Bunabelle



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon X OC - Freeform, Depression, F/M, Family Member Death, Mutual Pining, Pining, The Author Regrets Everything, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:36:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29947335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bunabelle/pseuds/Bunabelle
Summary: Loss was something Melody was all too familiar with so she wasn't about to risk losing her best friend over a silly crush by confessing.But she can only bottle up these emotions for so long before they'll explode. The question is, how long will that be?
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Melody Lilian, Kozume Kenma/OC





	1. Something lost, Something gained

**Author's Note:**

> If you don't like Canon x OC stuff and think it's cringe, this isn't the fic for you. We're all trying to find our ways to cope during COVID and this is my way.

Hesitation.

That's all she could feel coursing through her veins as she stared at the court of the gym, the club manager form that was filled out neatly was gripped tightly into her hands. She wasn't scared of the boys she'd have to deal with, having five brothers really helped prepare her for this.

She was more worried that she wouldn't be good enough of a manager for them. But she needed SOMETHING to do. Something to distract her from the sadness that was consuming her. There was only so much school work and studying she could do before there was nothing left. 

"You should try joining a club. It would look good for college applications and get you out of your room, brat." That's what her older brother Rin had told her.

How she decided on applying to be the team manager for the Nekoma volleyball team wasn't clear but she knew she needed something high energy or she'd only be bored. 

"Pardon me?" 

She'd never seen so many people snap their attention towards her so quickly. It was a bit intimidating, seeing as she was only 4'7" and it was safe to say most of the boys towered over her. But she kept her expression polite and sweet, teenage boys were so easy to charm.

"Is the Nekoma coach here by any chance? I have my application for team manager for him." 

"We're getting a team manager and she's a cute girl?!" A first year with short, dark hair shouted eagerly. While she didn't recognize him, the first year next to him was one of her classmates. Kozume wasn't it? She gave him a little wave and smile. He was quiet but nice! He lended her his DS charger a couple of times too.

"Yeah, I can take ya to him." The third year motioned her over to follow him. She could feel every eye in that room on her back as she took quick strides to the other. 

Once she had dropped off her application, she was told to come back on Wednesday and they would get her properly trained on her duties as a team manager. There were still reservations about this eating away at her mind as she made her way to the exit, fears and anxieties that had been haunting her for years.

Meeting eye to eye with golden eyes snapped her out of her self-loathing, her smile returning once again as she waved to him.

"Bye, Kozume-san. I'll see you tomorrow morning in class. I'll bring the game you asked to borrow tomorrow too!" 

As she walked away, she could have sworn she saw a faint blush on the boy's cheeks when she talked to him. She really didn't want to admit that it made her own cheeks grow red at the thought of it being true.


	2. You've Become A Piece Of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, this is a timeskip to their second year and where I'll be mostly focusing this story for now. 
> 
> I'm not very good at writing Haikyuu characters right now so I'm sorry if they're really out of character.

If you asked her how she imagined the day going, having to nurse a bloody nose was not the first thing to pop in her mind. 

She was too busy writing notes down for class while the boys practiced so she wasn't sure on how it happened but one of the first years, Lev Haiba, managed to fall face first on the ground. 

"Being tall doesn't do much for you if you can't even walk without tripping on your feet~."

Of course Kuroo has to tease him about this. Lev went to stand up to say something back but a small hand on his shoulder pushed him back down on the bench.

"Haiba-kun!! Don't move! I can barely reach your face with you sitting down so hold still. And you-" Her pink eyes landed on Kuroo, giving him a stern glare. "Don't egg him on!"

Kuroo put his hands up, cackling as he did. He really was good at finding ways to annoy her. It's not like he took her scolding too seriously. Most of the time she just looked like an angry hamster with how she puffed her cheeks. 

"You're lucky it's not broken, Haiba-kun. Now pinch where my fingers are and lean forward until the bleeding stops, okay?" Her hands gently cupped his cheeks to turn his slightly side to side so she could check for more injuries or signs of a concussion. 

"He'll be fine, Melody-chan. It's just a nosebleed. Honestly, you baby the first years too much." Yaku's hand came down to ruffle her hair, making her swat his hand away, huffing as she told him not to mess up her curls.

"Caring about the safety and well being of my team's members isn't babying, Yaku-san." Turning away from him and focusing on the silver haired idiot in front of her. "At his height, that fall could have been fatal."

"Hey, I thought you said not to egg him on!" 

"At my height, I'm allowed to mock any of you for being so tall! Seriously, what growth hormones are they putting in your food?"

"I think you're just short, Melody-chan." A soft voice spoke up.

"Kenma-kun, how could you? I thought we were friends." Clutching her chest as she sighed dramatically, grinning ear to ear as she looked at him.

While he didn't look up from his DS, there was no missing the eye roll he gave her as a response. 

"Aren't you supposed to be helping put stuff away, Puddin'?" Sitting next to him, she playfully nudged his shoulder with her own, leaning closer to watch him play. Seems Pokemon was the choice for the day.

"They can handle it themselves." Looking up for a minute, she knew he wasn't wrong but it would go faster if he did help.

"You still up for coming over and letting me kick your butt in Smash Bros?" 

There's a small snort from the other. "You haven't beaten me once."

"Hey, I've been close a couple times! I'll take it as a yes then that you're coming?" He gave her a curt nod in response. 

Once everything was put away for the day and Lev's nose was no longer bleeding, they all parted ways, her, Kuroo and Kenma all going the same direction. 

"I can't believe you guys didn't tell me you were having a date night~." 

It wasn't her proudest moment but she absolutely choked on the peach soda she was sipping when he said that. 

"We're just playing video games. I wouldn't call that a date. Besides, we hang out all of the time." Bless you Kenma for coming to her rescue. 

"If you're just hanging out as friends, then why didn't you invite me?" 

"Because you're annoying." The squeak he made when she pinched his side made her smirk a bit.

"I can't believe you would say that to me, Melody-chan~. I've been nothing but the best Senpai to you from day one and this is how you repay me?" 

"Oh bull, the first thing you said to me was calling me "shortstack" so I don't want to hear it."

The rest of the walk home was filled with idle banter and comfortable silence but that itch in the back of her head couldn't help creeping its way in. 

Kenma didn't even seem to flinch when Kuroo called them hanging out a date. Does he even see her as a girl still? Why did the thought of him not finding her attractive hurt her? Why did the thought of this being an actual date make her stomach do flips? Why was it only him she got this way around?

"Melody-chan? You okay? You've been making this ugly face for a few minutes now~."

"I was just thinking! My thinking face isn't ugly!" She gave Kuroo a playful swat to the arm, causing them both to laugh. 

There's no time to dwell in her unhappy thoughts. Things are so perfect right now. It's going to be okay.

Right?

  
  



End file.
